Over the years the Indian Institutes of Technology have proved their excellence in engineering education.
Two main reasons were the selection of students and the fantastic faculty. The JEE produced the best students and the faculty moulded into the best in the world. The goal of the students was excellence in technology and being the best in this field.
But that was some time ago. Times have changed.
A student came up to me and asked which branch of engineering he should take to complete the IIT easily and get into an Indian Institute of Management. Students ask for internship in banks and help from the alumni for this endeavour. A III B. Tech student asks for opportunities in music at an entrepreneur meet in an IIT. IIT toppers take high-paying jobs in non-engineering companies.
All these may seem stray cases. But isn’t it surprising that the top placement firms in the IITs are consulting, IT, banking and insurance? They seem to be taking away the chunk of the toppers. The number of B.Tech students opting for higher studies in engineering and research also seems to have declined.
Chennai Engineering Colleges
The IITs were formed to improve technology and produce world-class engineers and scientists. But they have now been reduced to a brand image without the zing of engineering. The goal of students seems to be cracking the JEE, and not engineering. All these students are confident of completing the course with at least 5 point CGPA. Not really interested in engineering.
Engineering Graduation
What is the reason? The quality of the students? The curriculum? The teachers or the lack of them? The parents? The coaching classes? The market opportunities for engineers? The JEE itself?
The coaching classes seem to have mastered a way of cracking the JEE. The student is bright and taught the methodology of cracking the JEE. Maybe, the JEE must not be so structured as we have it now. Maybe, it should be more randomised in the type of questions. Maybe, the questions should be related to more practical aspects of engineering. But if you want to be a top-notch engineer, it takes much more than that and years of painstaking learning in industry. Is it possible that the student is not aware of this aspect of engineering? Can the JEE bring this aspect to the fore?
Sometimes, parents force their children into the IITs because of their brand image. I wonder how many of them insist that their children stick to engineering as a career option?
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